Rick Davis his own largest creditor from failed mayoral campaign | PDFs

EVANSVILLE - Although incumbent Vanderburgh County Treasurer Rick Davis raised far more money than challenger Susan Kirk in the first quarter of 2012, he has spent nearly half of his donations paying down a $66,000 debt his committee incurred running for mayor of Evansville last year, according to campaign finance reports.

Kirk and Davis are seeking the office of county treasurer and will square off on Nov. 6 as neither candidate faces a primary challenge.

Davis raised $13,200 from Jan. 1 to Apr. 13, reports show, compared to current Vanderburgh County Clerk Susan Kirk, whose committee raised $225 during the same period. But Davis used $6,000 paying off services he used during his unsuccessful 2011 bid for Evansville mayor.

"My first priority is getting Kitch & Schreiber paid off in a reasonable amount of time," Davis said about a local advertising firm, "so I can raise funds in this election to put up a good fight."

The Committee to Elect Rick Davis started the year with about $120 cash. After donations, expenditures and debt payments, Davis had $3,200 cash at the end of the first quarter.

Davis' most costly expenditures were $610 for buttons, $500 for advertising and $500 for John Gregg for Governor, the reports indicate.

Kirk for Treasurer had about $9,400 left over from Kirk's successful 2004 bid for county clerk. Kirk had no expenditures, and the multiple sub-$100 donations left her with about $9,600 on hand as of Apr. 13.

Kirk said she has "nothing scheduled at the moment," with respect to fundraising events. She said she raised approximately $30,000 when she defeated Democrat Glen Tornatta-Koob for the clerk's seat in 2004.

Rick Davis owes himself about $41,200; some $15,500 to Kitch & Schreiber; about $3,000 to a Washington, D.C.-based political consultant; and $1,100 to an individual.

Davis said Wednesday he was sending a check to consulting company Sautter Communications to clear that debt.

Davis said he will continue to fund campaign expenses as necessary, but his priorities will be on paying down the committee's debt. That'll start with paying off Kitch & Schreiber, he said.

"I should have that done by the end of summer," he said. "And I've said all along that I would repay the folks I still owed before I repaid myself, and I still intend to do that."

Davis said when others' debts are cleared come fall, he will ratchet up spending on campaign ads and the like. He said he already has hundreds of yard signs and other materials from his 2008 run at treasurer, and the foundation for his campaign has already been laid.

"That's something that will not show up on the campaign finance report: The level of grass roots support that I already have," Davis said.

He later said: "I've got a million dollars' worth of name recognition."

Davis said he intends to repay the $41,215.60 to himself by winning the treasurer's race and raising funds during his term.